Martha Stewart is a renowned businesswoman, author, and television personality known for her perfectionism. She grew up in a middle-class family learning crafting and cooking skills. After college, she worked as a model and stockbroker before starting a catering business and publishing her first cookbook. Her media empire expanded through magazines, TV shows, and product lines. Although she faced legal issues and was convicted of insider trading in 2004, she rebuilt her brand and continues to inspire others through her passion, work ethic, and emphasis on home, craft, and self-sufficiency.

1. page 1
MARTHA STEWART:
The definition of perfection?

2. Background and Biography
page
2
Early Life
 Born in 1941– raised in NJ by her middle class parents with her
four siblings
 Learned crafting, gardening, cooking from her close-knit Polish
American family
 Won partial scholarship to Barnard College and modeled on the
side to pay expenses
 Married after her sophomore year, and had her only child, Alexis,
in 1965
 Worked as model and stockbroker on Wall Street until 1973
 Moved to Westport, CT in 1973 with her husband and daughter
 The couple completely restored an 1805 farmhouse that would
become the model for the set of the Martha Stewart
Living show.
 Martha started a catering business in her basement which within
a decade became a $1Million enterprise – this would ultimately
be her ticket to fame!

3. Background and Biography
page
3
The Rise, The Fall, and The Rise Again!
 1982: Published her first cookbook, Entertaining (now in its 30th Edition)
 1989: Divorces Andrew Stewart
 1990: Launched her own magazine, Martha Stewart Living, serving as Editor-in-Chief
 1992: Martha Stewart Living TV launches as a weekly half-hour syndicated show
 1997: founder, chairwoman, CEO, and president of Martha Stewart Living Omnimdeia,
and Martha Stewart Everyday collections launches exclusively at Kmart
 1999: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia goes public on the New York Stock Exchange
 2002: became board member of NYSE (forced to resign 4 months later due to insider
trading allegations)
 2004: sentenced to five months in federal prison (prison nickname of “M. Diddy”)
 2005: Martha’s Ultimate Comeback! Martha Stewart Living Radio launches on Sirius
Satellite Radio and NBC syndicates The Martha Stewart Show
 2006: MSLO and KB Home unveil their first co-branded community
 2007: The Martha Stewart Collection exclusively at Macy's launches nationwide
 2009: Martha reaches 1 million followers on Twitter
 2010: Strategic partnership with the Hallmark Channel
 2012 (April): acting debut on Law & Order SVU

4. Martha, the dichotomy
page
4
The Loveable Icon The Woman We Love to Hate
 Adored television and radio  Perfectionist, aggressive, “crazy”
personality  Ruthless businesswoman
 Revered for her style and charm  Autocratic leadership
 Shattered the glass ceiling  Convicted criminal

5. Connecting her domains
page
5
“We believe that an appreciation and mastery of the home arts and domestic sciences,
nutrition, and horticulture are key building blocks that foster individual self-esteem,
strengthen family, and build community while promoting economic well-being.”
Work Self
• Leveraged the creative skills that she learned as a • Resilient drive for success and unstoppable passion
child to launch her career • Truly lives her craft
• Martha IS Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia – she • Strong value system
is the creative mastermind and lives it everyday
• Takes time to refresh her body and mind (wakes up
• Used her network to achieve success before her roosters to exercise)
• Perfectionism / very high standards • Perfectionism / very high standards
Home Community
• Is the top executive of her household • The Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
• Her homes reflect her passion for perfectionism Foundation seeks to “turn dreamers into doers”
• Self-made woman who doesn’t try to be someone • The Foundation targets programs that afford
she’s not women and families access to the knowledge and
resources they need to build better lives.
• Perfectionism / very high standards

6. Lessons Learned
page
6
Pursue your passion “All the things I love is what my business is all about.”
“I think it's very important that whatever you're trying to
make or sell, or teach has to be basically good. A bad
Know your values product and you know what? You won't be here in ten
years.”
“My new motto is: When you're through changing, you're
Be true to yourself through.”
“Many of my executives have worked with me since the
Exploit your network beginning. I can be fair and decisive and encouraging as
well as demanding.”